(Nixon, NV) The Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (IPCB)
is alarmed at the launching of new global genetic research project
that will focus on the collection of Indigenous peoples DNA. The
National Geographic Society and the IBM Corporation announced
the launch of the Genographic Project today that purports to “help
people better understand their ancient history.” The project,
funded by the Waitt Family Foundation, expects to collect 100,000
DNA samples from Indigenous peoples around the world. The taking
of samples will be coordinated by ten worldwide regional research
centers. With centers in Australia, Brazil, North America and
Southeast Asia, Sub-Sahara and South Africa, this project is certain
to affect many Indigenous peoples around the world.

The IPCB, an Indigenous organization that addresses issues of
biopiracy began its work in 1993 to oppose the Human Genome Diversity
Project (HGDP), a project so fraught with ethical and scientific
problems it failed to get endorsement from the National Science
Foundation, or UNESCO. Debra Harry, who is Northern Paiute and
serves as IPCB’s Executive Director, noting this new project’s
similarities with the HGDP, said, “This is a recurrent nightmare.
It’s essentially the same project we defeated years ago.
Some of the actors are different, but also some are the same.
With the founder of the HGDP serving on this new project’s
advisory committee, I can’t help but think this is simply
a new reiteration of the HGDP.”

The HGDP faced international opposition by Indigenous peoples
who considered the project an unconscionable attempt by genetic
researchers to pirate their DNA for their own means. That experience
has led to strong advocacy by Indigenous peoples to insure human
rights standards are entrenched in research. Cherryl Smith, a
Maori bioethicist from Aotearoa (New Zealand) said, “Indigenous
groups around the world are much more aware of biopiracy, and
our own human and collective rights in research. In the past ten
years, we have developed extensive networks of Indigenous peoples
who are knowledgeable and active in defense of their rights.”

Le`a Kanehe, a Native Hawaiian who serves as the IPCB’s
Legal Analyst, gives the example of the Havasupai Tribe, who filed
a lawsuit in 2004 against Arizona State University for the taking
and misuse of their genetic samples. “Indigenous peoples
are holding scientists accountable for use of their genetic material
without prior informed consent, which is the accepted legal standard.”
The tribe authorized diabetes research, but later discovered their
samples were used for schizophrenia, inbreeding and migration
theories.

The Genographic Project press release claims that an international
advisory board will oversee the selection of Indigenous populations
for testing as well as adhering to strict sampling and research
protocols. The HGDP was unable to secure federal or UN support
for failure to meet ethical concerns and standards. The Genographic
Project has striking similarities to the HGDP. Dr. Jonathan Marks,
genetic anthropologist and board member of the IPCB, said, “The
HGDP was terminated because of intractable bioethical issues.
Have IBM and National Geographic been able to remedy those issues?
I don’t think so.” Harry is similarly concerned that
the Genographic Project is an attempt to escape public and legal
scrutiny by going private.

Kanehe says that “It’s interesting how in the past
racist scientists, such as those in the eugenics movement, did
studies asserting that we are biologically inferior to them; and
now, they are saying their research will show that we’re
all related to each other and share common origins. Both ventures
are based on racist science and produce invalid, yet damaging
conclusions about Indigenous cultures.”

IPCB Chairperson Judy Gobert (Blackfoot), said, “These kinds
of projects have to stretch to claim any tangible benefits to
Indigenous peoples. Somehow, the Genographic Project has led its
Indigenous participants to believe its work will insure their
people’s cultural preservation. There is a huge disconnect
between genetic research and cultural preservation.” Smith
says, “If they really want to help promote Indigenous peoples
cultures there are more productive ways and methods for doing
so.”

Noting the project’s goal to map the migratory history of
humankind through DNA, Marla Big Boy, a Lakota attorney on IPCB’s
board, says, “Our creation stories and languages carry information
about our genealogy and ancestors. We don’t need genetic
testing to tell us where we come from.” Big Boy notes with
concern that the project proposes to do studies on ancient DNA.
“We will not stand by while our ancestors are desecrated
in the name of scientific discovery.”

The IPCB is calling on all Indigenous peoples, and our friends
and colleagues to join in an international boycott of IBM, Gateway
Computers (the source of the Waitt family fortune), and National
Geographic until it’s demand that this project be abandoned
are met. Harry said, “We are prepared to stop projects that
treat us as scientific curiosities. We must act to protect our
most vulnerable communities from this unwanted intrusion. We resisted
the HGDP, and we will defeat this proposal as well.”

For more information contact:
Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonism
ipcb@ipcb.org
www.ipcb.org